Of Night and Dark Obscurity

by Nicola Italia

  “We’ve never got on,” he said vaguely.

  Caroline took a deep breath. “Who is Aida Harris?”

  Val met her eyes and then looked away. “Rowland. What a bastard.”

  “Tell me. Who is she?”

  “She was my fiancée.”

  “Your fiancée?” She repeated.

  “Yes.”

  “And she’s one of the five victims. She was killed by the strangler?” Caroline asked, recalling the name in the newspaper alongside her sister’s.

  “Yes.”

  “You never told me. You never told me you were to be married. You never told me she had been killed possibly by the same man who killed Irene.”

  “I believe I mentioned her once to you but not in great detail.”

  “Was Charles interested in Aida? Is that why you don’t get along?”

  Val sighed. “Something like that.”

  “Tell me. I want to know.”

  “He never said it outright. She never confirmed it. But I saw the way he looked at her. Charles fancied Aida. Why she chose a second son over Charles, I don’t know. Charles was a bit immature and a Mummy’s boy but nevertheless, she chose me. A week before the marriage was to be held, Aida came to me crying. She was distraught. Upset. She said he had raped her. He denied it of course. But she wanted to postpone the marriage. She said she wasn’t ready. I disagreed. I could feel her pulling away from me. I wanted to keep her safe. I was so angry. She was killed shortly after.”

  Caroline gasped. “Val! Don’t you see?! Charles could be the strangler. He has ties to Aida and I know he knew Irene, no matter if he denies it.”

  Val shook his head. “He’s involved in something. I already know that. But he didn’t kill Aida. After she died, he was the first person I went after. He had an alibi for almost the entire night. He was at some sort of Albert Hall poetry reading and dozens of people saw him there. Then he went to a local pub for a night cap. People confirmed he was there too.”

  Caroline shivered in the cold room and she could feel the temperature dropping.

  “I need you to promise me something. My mother, she’s harmless. She’s wrapped in appearances and what people think about her status and wealth. But I don’t trust Charles. He knows something. I want you to stay away from him.”

  “I’ll do as you say but I never see Charles unless I visit Lady Lyttleton. And I don’t have any upcoming appointments with her,” she confirmed.

  He took her slim shoulders in his hands. “Please Caroline. Be wary. You can’t be too cautious.”

  She nodded. “My grandmother and father told me the same thing after Irene was killed.”

  He looked after the curves of her face and he shook his head. “I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you. Honestly. I couldn’t bear it Caroline.”

  “Nothing is going to happen to me. You’ll catch this killer. I don’t doubt that. Then all this will be over.” She nodded. “All this will be over and we can start fresh.”

  “We?” He met her eyes and his face was filled with hope.

  “Well, there is a you, and a me. Which makes a we,” she said.

  “Caroline. When this case is over, I want to make plans for the future. I want us to be together,” he said solemnly taking her hands in his.

  “You should speak to my father.”

  “I will,” he promised her. “Once this case is over, I will speak to him. But what if he says no and bars me from the house?”

  Caroline smiled. “He won’t.”

  “If he demands I stay away from his daughter and never see you again?”

  “He never would,” She said smiling still.

  “What if he threatens me with a duel?”

  “Don’t worry. He’s a skilled physician. He’ll stitch you up like new.” She smiled again.

  “Oh! I see! So I’m the one that will be hurt in the pretend duel,” he said pulling her against him. “Caroline,” he breathed in the scent of her hair and gently kissed her temple. “Nothing has changed for me. I’m still besotted.”

  “You’re very persistent.” She agreed.

  “I know what I want. Only you will do, Caroline.” He kissed her on the lips and when they broke apart, she was breathless.

  ✽✽✽

  Caroline smiled as she entered the foyer. She felt light and free and for the first time in a long time she felt happy. She knew that she cared for Val and the more he spoke to her about his feelings the more she realized she was falling in love with him. Pulling back on her gloves she knew she had an hour more of daylight and as the rain had stopped, she decided to walk to Green Park.

  The Green Park was a smaller, triangular shaped park and was a link between St. James’s Park and Hyde Park. Green Park was simply sprinkled with green grass and trees having no lakes or buildings on it. After it rained it always smelled of earth and grass which was why she loved it.

  Caroline also recalled one particular story about Green Park from the seventeenth century that made her smile. Catherine of Braganza was the wife of King Charles II. When she caught her husband picking flowers for another woman in Green Park, Catherine demanded all the flowers be removed so he could not gift any flowers to any other woman. As Caroline looked about the greenery, very few flowers could be seen.

  Caroline knew in the eighteenth century, the park became a favorite place for Queen Caroline the wife of George II. She built a reservoir called the Queen's Basin and also built a library and the Queen's Walk, which became a fashionable path to the reservoir. She walked along the grass and trees and breathed in the smell.

  As she took in the green trees and lush lawns, she felt certain that Val would find the killer. She longed for it more than anything because the families need to find peace. Once the murderer was caught, they could move past their shared grief and loss.

  “Caroline,” she heard her name being called and when she turned, she saw Charles Lyttleton walking towards her.

  She felt her heart beat heavy inside her chest as she saw his lanky form. She looked briefly around and saw that they were alone. Her first instinct was to turn and walk away from him. But she knew she would not get far. She turned to him.

  “Charles. What are you doing here?” She said trying to smile but she felt cold.

  She noticed his appearance and he looked disheveled. His hair was not combed properly and his clothes were untidy.

  “I’ve been following you,” he told her bluntly.

  “Following me? Why would you do that? Does your mother need me?” She asked lightly.

  He took her arm suddenly and led her down a less worn path into the trees. “Do you know where I’ve been all night? Do you?”

  She shook her head trying not to focus on his fingers which were biting into the tender flesh of her arm. She imagined those fingers around Irene’s throat and felt faint.

  “How would I know where you’ve been all night, Charles? What is this all about?” She asked him even as he pushed her down the path. He released her.

  “I’ll tell you where I’ve been Caroline. I’ll tell you. I’ve been hauled into the police station for questioning. Your lover is at fault here! Yes! Your upstart lover Valentine Pierce. Detective Chief Inspector if it pleases you,” he sputtered.

  A light drizzle had begun to fall and Caroline shivered slightly. “I don’t understand Charles. Why were you at the police station, why was he questioning you?”

  Charles gave a slight start. “Why indeed. He thinks he knows everything. He knows nothing,” he looked off into the distance.

  “Then tell him that,” Caroline said softly. “Clear your name of whatever he thinks it is you’ve done.”

  “You love him,” he said suddenly.

  “Charles, please.”

  “Do you?” He pressed.

  “I care a great deal about him. Just as I care about your well-being.”

  “My well-being?!” He scoffed like a petulant child.

  “Charles. Why don’t we retur
n to the street and I’ll hire you a cab. It’s getting late and it’s cold. I think it’s going to rain again.”

  “I do know things Caroline. I’m not some mummy’s boy like everyone seems to think. Yes. I know people say that behind my back.” He growled.

  “I don’t know anything about that Charles. I have nothing but the utmost respect for your mother.” Caroline shivered in the cold.

  “He was asking me about my watch and which club I attend,” Charles began to babble on about his time at the police station. “My watch is my business. My father gave it to me. And then he asked about those-those-those women,” he said quietly.

  “What women?” Caroline asked as the drizzle came down and the sun was setting.

  “Those women. You know. Your sister is one of them.” He said.

  “My sister was one of them?” Caroline shivered a little.

  “The primrose strangler’s victims. He asked about the victims,” he said angrily. “But why me? Sure. I knew Irene maybe in passing, and that spinster friend of yours, but that doesn’t make me a killer,” he admitted.

  “Of course it doesn’t,” Caroline said trying to keep him calm.

  “But he doesn’t know anything, Caroline,” he said suddenly looking grim. “He doesn’t know anything.”

  Caroline trembled as she gazed into his wide eyes. She was frightened for herself and knew that if she tried to run from him, she would never make it. Her skirts were long and she would be tangled in them and he would easily overtake her.

  “I gave him a lingering memento though,” he laughed. “A nice lingering memento. A black eye to go with his fine manners.”

  “Charles. You struck him?” She asked but she already knew the answer.

  “He deserved it. He’s too full of himself.” He nodded. “Much too full of himself. He’s a second son after all. He has no money, no title. Who does he think he is?”

  “What does it matter who he is?” Caroline said softly. “Let’s return to the townhouse. I could make you a nice cup of—“

  “But he’s going to get what’s coming to him, I guarantee it Caroline,” Charles said coldly.

  “Charles—“ Caroline said.

  “No Caroline. Listen to me.” He turned to her again and when he grabbed her shoulders it was with an intensity and fervor that she had not seen before. “He’s going to get what’s coming to him. You’ll see. It will make sense and then you’ll understand.”

  “Charles, I don’t understand any of this,” she shook her head.

  “You of all people should. You lost your sister, your friend. Perhaps you’ll be next,” he said lowly.

  Caroline blinked in the dimming lights of the sunset. “W-what did you say?”

  He gazed at her coldly. “You’re like Pierce. You think too highly of yourself, Caroline Derry. I’m not good enough for you. No one is good enough for you. But Valentine Pierce is? Would you marry him?”

  “Charles. You could never hurt me. Why would you say such a thing?” She said trying to keep him calm.

  “Me? Of course, I would never harm you,” he smiled, releasing her once more. “Why would you think that? I couldn’t harm anyone. That’s the problem. That’s always been the problem.” His face was once more stoic.

  “The problem?” She asked. “What’s the problem?”

  Her heart was beating heavy inside her chest and when she looked at Charles Lyttleton, he seemed to be a stranger speaking a foreign tongue. She didn’t understand his words and many of them were frightening.

  The drizzle turned to a light rain and a slight wind had picked up. Suddenly he put his arm about her waist and instead of pulling her deeper into the dark wooded area, he helped move her along the path until they were back on the street. She saw the carriages and people and sagged with relief.

  “It’s getting late,” he said softly. “You should not be out so late. I’ll hail you a cab.”

  Caroline nodded weary from the encounter, and the rain and cold seemed to seep into her very bones.

  She glanced up into his face and then looked away. He seemed distant and remote. He was an absolute stranger to her. She closed her eyes briefly and then opened them.

  “T-thank you, Charles. You should get home as well. Your mother will be worried about you in the rain,” she resisted the urge to shudder from the cold and the odd exchange with him.

  “I intend to,” he said as he hailed the cab and she breathed a sigh of relief when it was on its way.

  ✽✽✽

  Damp and cold, Caroline settled into the hansom cab and replayed the interaction she had with Charles. She had never seen him like that. He seemed to be in his own world, angry at Val and threatening him. She was shocked to learn that Charles had actually struck Val and caused the black eye she had seen for herself.

  She contemplated returning to Val’s home to tell him of the incident but she didn’t want to alarm him. Charles was obviously unbalanced. She had seen it before with his rash marriage proposal but this afternoon was different.

  She wondered if Victoria had coddled her son because he was a little too fragile for the world. He had said that Val would get what was coming to him, but that made little sense. What was coming to him? She wanted to ask him more but he had been too distracted. He had not been in the right frame of mind to speak coherently of anything. Instead he had rambled on about being questioned and she shivered again.

  She needed to get home and get out of the damp clothes. The wind had picked up again and it seemed to howl in the growing dark night.

  She let herself into the townhouse. There was a gas lamp lit on the stairwell and she took the stairs to her room. She undressed quickly pulling on a simple dress and shawl. She peeked in on her grandmother who was fast asleep. She saw the empty glass beside her bed and assumed she had taken brandy to help her sleep.

  She closed the door and went further down the hallway to her father’s room. It was empty. He was most likely at his club enjoying a good cigar, a whiskey and talk with the other gentlemen. She returned to her room even as the sound of the wind increased. She replayed the conversation again and again in her mind.

  What had Charles been trying to tell her? Even if he was muddled, even if he was babbling half the time. There was something there. She sighed deeply. She must relay the conversation to Val.

  ✽✽✽

  Felix returned to the police station just as Val was arriving as well.

  “What did you learn?” Val asked.

  “I trailed him. Just as you asked,” Felix nodded.

  “So, what happened?”

  “Happened? Nothing happened. He’s still at his home. He went inside looking like a mouse the cat dragged in and there he stayed. I was there for several hours before I went home myself for some sleep.”

  “You went home?” Val demanded of his sergeant.

  “Well yes. I figured he would be in there for some time. I needed my own sleep,” Felix said suddenly defending himself.

  “Dammit Felix! What if he didn’t stay there?” Val sputtered angrily.

  “We know where he lives. He’s not packing up and heading to France,” Felix responded.

  “We have five dead women on our hands. There will not be a sixth.” Val said coldly. “If you need time to rest, you flag down one of those errand boys to get a message to me to replace you in the field.”

  “Sorry boss,” Felix said nodding. “It won’t happen again.”

  “Return to the Lyttleton house and see if he’s still there. This time don’t let him out of your sight,” Val instructed.

  “Will do,” Felix said chastised.

  They both turned at the sound of lightning and the wind howling outside.

  “It looks like we are in for a bad storm,” Felix told his boss as he grabbed his Mackintosh.

  “Looks like it,” Val nodded.

  Chapter 24

  Felix was angry with himself. He had gotten off lightly with Val and he knew that he had been wrong. He should have
found a way to get word back to the station to relieve himself, instead he had just left. He returned quickly to the Lyttleton home and waited outside. He had only been outside a half hour when Charles exited the home.

  Felix breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Charles hail a cab. The rain was coming down hard as he knocked twice on the roof of his own cab. His driver knew to follow the other cab.

  The rain slowed their travel and the thunder slashed across the sky before they finally arrived at their destination. Felix was not entirely surprised when he saw the outline of the building which had formerly been the home of the opium den. He watched carefully as Charles left the cab and entered the building. He must let Val know immediately.

  ✽✽✽

  Caroline sent a brief note to Val explaining that she had seen Charles that afternoon and that he had been acting very odd. She ended the note saying that she was fine and at home. She also wrote that if he needed to see or speak to her to send word through her footman and she dispatched Wilmot to deliver the note.

  She decided she could save herself the need for a trip in the storm because after all, nothing had really happened with Charles in the park only that he had behaved very oddly. If Val needed to see her, he would send word.

  She pulled the shawl tightly about her shoulders as the rain beat upon her windows. It was getting worse outside. The dark clouds had become black as night settled upon the city. She would wait.

  ✽✽✽

  Charles looked at the other men who were sitting nearby watching him. They seemed to think this was his fault when he had been the only one whose hands were clean. Why did they have to make him feel like that? Why couldn’t they just accept the fact that he was a part of them but not completely a part of them. He was loyal. He was loyal to the group but he couldn’t do what they had done. He just couldn’t.

  “So, where does that leave us now?” Mr. Sage asked. “What do we do now? We know he’s closing in. He’s found you. He traced you to the club and now it’s only a matter of time.”

  “This is all your fault,” Charles yelled back. “I told you not to. I told you to stop. But no, you couldn’t.”